One Moment Can Change Your Life
by Pharaohs Queen
Summary: ONESHOT. Takes place before the events of Requiem's Awakening. READ THAT FIRST OR YOU WILL PROBABLY BE VERY CONFUSED! April is working on a crusie ship. Chaud is a passenger. What will become of this? Why, romance and laughs of course! [ChaudxOC]


This takes place about a year and a half before the events of Requiem's Awakening. Both April and Chaud are 16. April left the guardianship of the Blazes a few months ago, and she hasn't seen Chaud since.

* * *

Megaman NT Warrior: Requiem's Awakening

OneShot

"One Moment Can Change Your Life"

April stood on the deck of the luxury cruise liner, the S.S. Zeta Symphony. A gentle breeze ruffled her hair, catching her bangs and letting the sunlight glint on the metal plates underneath. She quickly caught her hair, smoothing it in front of her face again. They were picking up all new passengers today, and she didn't want to scare anyone. They wouldn't tip her otherwise.

There was a slight shudder as the boat pulled to a stop, and then a rattling and a splashing sound as the anchors were lowered. They had arrived in Port Yawnsworth, the closest coast city to Dentech City. She traced the area where her metal plates met skin, and her mind flashed back several years.

_She was lying in a hospital bed, and Chaud was talking to her._

_"We were wondering if you would like to stay with us…that is, until you're old enough to get a job and your own place."_

_A week later, Chaud guided her, since she couldn't take off her bandages yet, into Blaze Mansion. He was stammering out rooming explanations._

_"I know we don't get along very well, April, but your room is next to mine for the time being, since you still have your bandages on. As you get more independent, Father will probably move you to a room in a different wing so you don't have to be around me if you don't want to be."_

A ramp was lowered to the deck with a loud _clang_, bringing April back into the present. She sighed, and then grabbed the clipboard that was lying next to her on the railing. On it were several sheets with names of passengers and where they were rooming. April sighed again. She hated being one of the greeters, but it was better than taking the passengers to their rooms. Since the ship was so popular with the rich class, most of the passengers were snobby rich people who weren't very polite, to say the least.

April started walking down towards the docking ramp. On the way, she was joined by several other greeters, and one of her friends who was not.

"Hey April!" She said, skipping up to walk along side April.

"Hello Alice." April returned the older girl's smile.

Alice was several years older than April, and she was one of the entertainers. Every few days, she and others would put on a show for the passengers. April envied Alice and her amazing voice, but as much skill as Alice had with singing; April matched her for programming and blackjack dealing. April was also the youngest dealer on the ship, and she was pretty proud of it.

"So you're a greeter today, huh?" Alice continued. "I don't envy you. Say, you're from around here aren't you? Anyone on the list you know?"

April laughed, but looked at the list. "I wasn't one to hang out with the rich crowd, Alice. Why would I—"

She froze, staring at a name on the second page. _No… No way…_

"April?" Alice stopped next to her, looking curiously at the frozen expression on her face. "You alright?"

Suddenly, April shoved the clipboard into Alice. "I don't feel good…Will you do me a favor and take my spot? Just for today?" Alice nodded, but cocked her head at a slight angle.

"If you say so. Go and lie down. That might make you feel better."

April nodded back and grabbed the railing, swaying a little as she walked back to the stairs that would take her down to the room she and Alice shared.

When she got one floor below deck, a voice came from her side. "Who was on the list April?"

She leaned against the wall, and pulled out her PET. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you Nocturne. I just…don't want to say his name out loud right now."

Nocturne's eyes widened. "You mean…it's… Him?"

She nodded, looking a little queasy. "Yeah. Of course it is." She said, continuing on down to the end of the hallway where some more stairs were. "Let's just hope we don't run into each other…"

Right then, a door opened right in front of her. April barely managed to dodge the door, but she couldn't avoid the person that just walked out. They ran full-tilt into each other, grunting and landing in a confused pile of limbs.

April quickly untangled herself with a muttered "Sorry", then, holding her hand over her right eye, began feeling around for her PET, which she had dropped in the collision. She found the shape of the handle, and picked it up.

"Sorry Nocturne, are you al—" her voice died in the middle of a sentence as she realized what Navi she was looking at. The Navi smiled and spoke:

"Hello again, April Cossack."

"Hello…Protoman." She clenched her teeth and turned around to face the person who owned the name she had seen on the passenger list. "It's nice to see you again, Chaud." She said, forcing a smile onto her lips.

His return smile was more like a smirk. "Why don't you give me my PET? I'll give you yours," he held up April's PET, "and it would work better that way."

April scowled, and grabbed Nocturne out of his hand. "Here." She said, tossing the red PET back at him, and running back down the hallway.

Chaud caught it easily and smiled at April's retreating back. "How long will you stand my presence, April, before something happens?"

---

Nothing happened over the next few days. April tried her hardest to avoid Chaud, and it worked, too. Until the second week into the cruse.

April was working in the casino, as a blackjack dealer. She was relaxed; she was doing something she was good at, she hadn't seen Chaud all day; and Alice was singing on the little stage behind her.

April was dealing fine…and winning a lot too. It was rather fun to see these rich snobs think they had the upper hand, only to be beaten by the dealer and lose some of their precious cash. She smiled to herself as she stacked several handfuls of chips into neat little piles beside her elbow.

Alice finished her song, and then started to make a small announcement into the microphone. April stopped dealing, and turned around in her chair to see Alice.

"Don't forget about our ballroom dance competition tonight! It will be held at seven o'clock in the main ballroom. Couples of all ages are encouraged to attend, and there will be general dance time before and after the main competition. Don't forget! The main ballroom at seven o' clock!"

The spotlight faded off Alice, and she walked off the stage. April turned around back to the table. She started shuffling the cards, then looked up at the sound of a throat being cleared in front of her. She looked up, and lost her grip, sending cards spewing all over the table.

Sitting right in front of her, smirking, was Chaud. Her eyes went wide. _I think he's stalking me…_

"Deal me in." Was all he said.

April sighed, then gathered the cards up, re-shuffled, and dealt out them to the table. _Only the rich gamble young…_

---

After an antagonizing four hours of having Chaud stare at her, April was finally able to retreat to her cabin. Alice was there, lying on her bed and reading a book. She sat up when April came staggering in the room.

"So... who was that?" Alice asked, putting the bookmark in and looking ready to soak up some good gossip.

April fell back on her bed with a _fwump_, and sighed. "I really don't want to talk about him," Alice sat back with disappointment. "But if you really must know…his name is Chaud Blaze."

Alice gasped. "_The_ Chaud Blaze?! No freakin' way!"

April sighed. "I think he's stalking me." Alice's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "And I don't know why…. _And_ I don't like it. We never did get along, so I don't know what he's—"

"—What do you mean you 'never got along'? Did you guys meet earlier or something? Spill all. Now."

So April, quite reluctantly, told her about how she and her grandfather had been hired by Chaud's father, how she lost her eye, and about the three years she spent at Blaze Mansion. At the end of her story, Alice had a smile so big, April could swear to see all her teeth.

"You know what I think…" Alice started saying.

"Here we go…" April rolled her eyes.

"He's got the hots for you, April."

April was expecting it, but the idea made her flinch all the same. "Why me?" she asked. "What would _he_ see in _me_ that countless other guys didn't?"

Alice shrugged. "I dunno… What room did you say he was in?"

"Suite 159." April answered without thinking. "Why?"

Alice smirked. "You knew it. I knew you would." She said as she walked out of the room. April threw a pillow at the closed door and laid back down.

_She's right… I did memorize where he is…_

_SO WHAT!_

"I have a feeling, April…"

"What Nocturne?"

"Why did she ask you where Chaud was, then leave?"

April blushed, then covered her face with her remaining pillow. "I'm too tired to go find out. Please don't do me any favors, Alice…" she muttered to the ceiling, through the pillow.

---

Right at six o' clock, the doors to the main ballroom opened, and people swarmed in.

April was standing to the side, holding a tray of cream puffs, ready to walk around and offer them to those sitting at the tables that had been arranged around the giant dance floor.

The orchestra struck up a lively waltz, and couples started whirling around on the dance floor. April started walking around. She was pleased to see that Chaud wasn't sitting down. She was even more pleased to see that he wasn't dancing with someone.

As that thought entered into her head, she mentally smacked herself.

_Why would I care if he's dancing with another girl?_ She thought, offering a cream puff to a passenger in a frilly purple dress. _I should be happy! That means he's given up on me…_ _That he won't bug me anymore…_

As seven o'clock came, April found her tray empty. She placed the tray under her arm, then started maneuvering over to the kitchen to grab another one. Inside, she grabbed a tray full of chocolate-covered strawberries, forced herself not to eat one, then headed back out.

One the dance floor, couples were wearing numbers and dancing as the judges walked between them. The competition had begun.

April's strawberries went faster than the cream puffs, and she soon found herself with another empty tray, staring at the few couples left on the dance floor.

"They really are quite good, aren't they?"

April jumped at the voice, nearly dropping the tray, and turning around to face the offending owner of the voice. She froze again.

"You really are jumpy tonight." Chaud said, holding a chocolate-covered strawberry in his hand. He walked towards her, and April instinctively backed up. Chaud smirked, and April ran into a wall. She was cornered. Chaud came so close she had to look up to see into his eyes.

"Why do you keep avoiding me, April?" he whispered. She didn't have an answer. She couldn't answer, not with the way he was staring at her. She held the tray in front of her like a shield, as though it could protect her from his gaze. He took a bite of the strawberry.

"You won't avoid me this time, April." He said, gently taking the tray from her grip. He placed the remains of his strawberry on top, then offered April his arm. She didn't take her eyes off his face.

"Let's dance."

April didn't move. Chaud grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the dance floor. She didn't resist or try to get away. She was in a daze.

With the competition over, Alice got on stage, holding a microphone and ready to sing. She scanned her eyes over the dance floor, and saw Chaud and April ready to dance. She winked at them--April didn't see--and smiled. She gestured to the band and the music started. She opened her mouth and sang in her clearest voice. She wanted April to have the perfect moment tonight.

"When the night, has come, and the land is dark, and the moon is the only light we'll see…"

Chaud was prepared to give April a quick lesson in dancing, but he was surprised that she already knew the steps.

"No I won't, be afraid, no I won't be afraid, just as looong, as you stand, stand by me…"

April was still looking at Chaud in a daze. "You know, April…" he said, smiling. "You look cute in a mini-skirt." She blushed.

"So darlin', darlin' stand, by me, oooh, stand by me, ohh, stand… stand by me… stand by me…

"If the sky, that we look upon, should tumble and fall, or the mountain should crumble to the sea… I won't cry…I won't cry… No I won't, shed a tear, just as long as you stand… stand by me…"

April was slowly relaxing and starting to enjoy dancing in Chaud's arms. They moved around the dance floor, oblivious to other couples.

"And darlin' darlin', stand… by me…ohh stand by me… ohh stand now… stand by me, stand by me…"

Chaud smiled down at her. "See? I'm not so bad, am I?"

April smiled back. "Not as bad as I remember."

Alice continued singing her heart out. "Darlin' darlin' stand…by me… ohh stand by me…. Oh stand now… stand by me… stand by me…. Whenever you're in trouble, won't you stand… stand by me…"

The song ended, and Alice bowed while everyone clapped. April and Chaud continued staring into each other's eyes; then April blinked. She backed away, looking like she had realized what she had just done. "I'm sorry, sir…I shouldn't have… I'm not allowed to... I'm sorry, sir..."

Chaud started feeling alarmed. She had called him 'sir'. "No, don't be April…please… I was the one who asked you to dance…"

He reached for her arm when April turned and ran out of the ballroom. Chaud stared after her in confusion, his hand still outstretched and staring at the door she had left through.

"What did I do, Protoman?"

"I'm not sure, sir…"

---

Back in her room, April sat on her bed, taking deep breaths and clutching her PET. Nocturne was trying to talk calmly to her.

"What did I do that for, Nocturne?" she said, looked desperately at her Navi. "I could've gotten fired for that!"

Nocturne put his hand where April's finger met the edge of the screen. "Calm down, April. It couldn't be helped."

"Of course it could've!" April said angrily. "I should've controlled my emotions… oh…" she laid back on her bed, her arm over her eyes. "What have I done?"

The door opened, and Alice walked in. "Hey April…" she didn't reply. Alice continued on getting more and more nervous about April's lack of response. "That was a perfect song, huh? I think I sang my best for that one."

April still didn't respond. Alice bit her lip. "But wasn't that perfect? That song, and you and Chaud dancing together… You two looked really cute…"

April didn't move, but she spoke. "You did sing really well, Alice, but please, don't do me any more favors like that. I'm all confused about Chaud now."

Alice sat down on her bed, facing April. "Ohh…April…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—"

April moved her arm and looked over at Alice. "I know you meant well Alice, but please… let things run their natural course now. If Chaud and I are meant to be together, something will happen, heaven forbid, that will get us together."

Alice nodded, then laid down on her bed, resting on her elbow. "I understand… but it was still perfect, wasn't it?" April thought back to the dance, and nodded with a little bit of a smile on her face.

"That it was."

---

A few days later, April was standing at the front of the ship, leaning against the railing and looking out at the choppy waves below. Right ahead of the liner was a huge storm cloud, with lightning bolts constantly flying from the clouds to the ocean. But April's mind wasn't on the cloud the captain was trying to avoid.

"I haven't seen him for days, Nocturne. Do you think I offended him when I walked out of the ballroom?"

The purple-black Navi shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. And I think you ran more than you walked. But you haven't been assigned to your normal duties, so it's possible he was there, but you weren't."

April nodded absentmindedly, staring out at the clouds. Her PET beeped. She looked down at Nocturne who was holding an email. "What does it say?"

"It's from the captain." He said, looking at it with surprise. April was surprised too. The _captain_ was sending out emails? "It says for everyone to get below deck. If any of the staff is above deck, they need to spread the word to the passengers and get below as soon as possible. This is going to be a rough storm."

April looked over again at the storm cloud. She _hated_ thunderstorms. "Well, we'd better do as the captain says." She stepped away from the railing, stretched, and headed towards the nearest passengers.

After only a few minutes, the waves began to get choppier, and the wind blew harshly, sending drops of water that stung like miniature bullets into April's face. And she would be one to know what bullets to the face felt like.

She had circled around the whole deck when she met one last person standing where she had been earlier. She could only see the blury outline of him through the mist and rain. Covering her face from the stinging spray, she headed over to him.

"Sir, you need to get below to your cabin. This storm could be really—"

The words got stuck in her throat as he turned around. "I thought I would find you here." He spoke so softly he could barely be heard over the rain.

April cleared her throat and tried to speak again. "P-please get below deck, Chaud. It's too dangerous up here."

As she spoke, a particularly stiff breeze came from behind her, surprising April and pushing her into Chaud. He caught her, and wrapped his arms around her, protecting her from the wind and the spray.

"And what about you?" He whispered into her ear. "It's not to dangerous for you?" April was shocked, but she noted that something in the back of her mind was happy that Chaud was holding her again.

While Chaud and April were having their little whispered conversation, Alice came around the corner. She had been worrying about April, who hadn't come back to the cabin yet. When she saw Chaud and April standing together like that, she instantly flew back around the corner, but peeked back around, not wanting to miss anything.

April and Chaud stood like that for a few moments longer, then another beeping came from April's PET. She broke away from Chaud, and then pulled it out. "Another email?"

Nocturne nodded. "The captain says to get below deck _now_. The waves are so choppy, they could throw someone overboard."

April nodded. "Right." She took a step back to the stairway, and in the process took a step closer to the railing. Chaud, on a sudden impulse, grabbed her arm. She was lucky he did.

A huge wave came up and threw the front of the ship up. Since Chaud had grabbed onto her, April stayed on deck.

Her slick PET flew out of her hand and over the railing.

"Nocturne!"

April pulled herself free of Chaud's grasp, and then put her foot on the railing, leaping and reaching for the small device. Halfway down the side of the ship, she managed to grab her PET. She breathed a sigh of relief, then looked down and screamed as she plunged into the water.

As soon as April had put her foot on the railing, Chaud reached out to try and grab her. He missed, and as he looked over the edge, he saw April fall beneath the waves.

"Woman overboard!" He cried to no one in particular, and then dove after April himself.

The sudden cold water was a shock, and it took his muscles a moment to start getting working again. He struck up towards the surface, taking a huge gulp of air once he was above water. He looked around wildly. April was floating a few meters away, her face white and her body not moving. Chaud stuck out towards her, and finally managed to grab her arm, flipping her on her back. Something hit his waist, and he realized that April was still holding tightly to her PET. Chaud stuck that in her belt.

Something else hit him in the shoulder. "Grab on!" A voice came from the ship.

He turned towards the ship and saw Alice. Floating right next to him was the rung of a rope ladder. He wrapped an arm under April, and then grabbed the rung. There was a faint clicking noise, and the ladder started to wind up. Chaud climbed up a few more rungs, grabbing April around her waist to get a better grip.

When they finally got to the top, Alice helped Chaud pull April up. He looked around, and then spotted a door slightly to his right with the words 'Employees Only' painted on them.

"You go get help!" He yelled over the storm to Alice, and then pointed towards the door. "We'll be in there!" She nodded and ran off, staying as close to the wall as possible. Chaud picked April up in a cradle hold, and then kicked the door open. A light automatically turned on when the door was opened. Inside were a bunch of pipes and one clear space in the middle of the floor. Chaud ran inside, put April down, and then closed the door shut against the storm. Then he turned back to April.

She was deathly white, and still unmoving. Chaud kneeled down next to her, feeling for a breath. "No…no, no, no… April, you can't be dead…" She felt her neck and located a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief. But April wasn't out of danger yet.

Chaud tilted her head to the side, and then gave two quick pushes on her chest. She coughed, and a large amount of water came out of her mouth. Chaud leaned down close to her face to feel if April's breath had come back…

And her eyes snapped open.

It was a rather awkward moment. Chaud was centimeters away from April, in a dimly lit room, with no one else around. They both blushed, but neither moved.

"I-I thought…" Chaud stammered out. "I-I thought that you…that you were…"

April placed her hand behind his neck and pulled him the last centimeters closer to her. Their lips met, and everything around them disappeared. There was no storm roaring outside, there was no tilting ship, there wasn't any loud clanking of pipes around them; it was their moment of realization, their moment of complete bliss.

April finally let go of Chaud, and they pulled apart. April smirked. "No, I'm defiantly alive."

As Chaud was helping April sit up, the door burst open. Alice and four paramedics came running in the room. They immediately wrapped blankets around Chaud and April and checking their vital signs. At this, April and Chaud looked over at each other and laughed. Alice smiled.

With two paramedics supporting each, Chaud and April were escorted down to the sick room. There, they were each given new, warm pajamas, and were told to lay on a bed, until told otherwise, and to get some well-deserved sleep. Chaud closed his eyes and conked out right away. Alice came over and sat close to April.

"So…what happened?"

"He saved my life… I don't remember much; I was unconscious. But when I woke up, he was right there, hovering over me, making sure I was all right. Then we… oh, Alice…" April looked past her to Chaud's sleeping form the next bed over.

"I'm not confused about him anymore. And it happened. There's no doubt in my mind any longer. Alice…" she looked her straight in the eye, and Alice saw true happiness bubbling in April's.

"One moment. That's all it takes. Just one moment can change your life. I hope that moment will change ours for the better." April looked back at Chaud; his eyes were open. He winked and April beamed. Alice turned around to face Chaud, but he was back asleep. She turned back to April and saw her resting peacefully. Alice stood up.

"Get some rest." She said, stroking April's hair, then stood up and faced Chaud. "You have the best girl in the world. Take excellent care of her."

With that, she walked out.

---

The liner was only in the storm for one more day. During that time, rumor spread around the passengers and crew of a girl who had fallen overboard and about the brave young boy who had saved her. April and Chaud slept through most of it.

When they woke up, Chaud was unsurprised to see who their first visitors were. Alice, bearing chocolates from the kitchen and get-well wishes, and then, Chaud's father.

"What were you thinking young man?" Mr. Blaze said. Chaud winced at the loudness of his voice; it looked like April was asleep in the bed next to him. "Why did you dive in? You could've easily thrown her a life preserver, or a ladder, like that other girl did. If she hadn't been there, you both would've died!"

"I'm sorry Father, I wasn't thinking." Chaud said with his face lowered, looking all like the humble son.

"I know." Mr. Blaze said, lowering his voice with the glare of a paramedic. "And that's unlike you son. What is this girl to you? I've seen this change in you ever since we met her and her grandfather. Why do you care about her so much?"

Chaud calmly looked his father in the eye. "I care about her for the same reasons you cared about Mom." He said evenly. Mr. Blaze looked shocked, and Chaud continued. "Father, I love this girl. And no matter what you say, nothing can change that." Mr. Blaze lowered his eyes and looked over at April lying on the bed.

He sighed. "I know you won't change your mind once you've made it up, Chaud. And I won't try to take you away from her. But," he turned his gaze back to Chaud, who tensed slightly. "You're not old enough for these things yet. I don't want you to do anything bad." He paused, and then went on. "I believe now is the right time to tell you. Since you are going to take over Blaze Corp. one day, I'm going to have you go and study programming under Dr. Hikari at Scilab." Chaud's jaw dropped. "You already have a good head for business, and I have a feeling that this will be important for you to learn. And it will keep you from getting into trouble with this girl." He nodded over to April. "You'll go to work when we get back. Get better soon." Mr. Blaze turned sharply and walked out the door.

Chaud fell back onto his pillows, not wanting to believe what his father had just said. _He doesn't trust me around her!_ Chaud thought angrily. _I can't believe it!_ He looked over at April's restful form. _I don't want to have to leave her again…_ he rolled over and fell into an uneasy sleep.

April, quite to the contrary, was far from being asleep. She had heard every word exchanged by the father and son. Her heart swelled when Chaud said what he did, then deflated when Mr. Blaze said he was sending Chaud off.

April laid there, staring intently at the wall, scheming.

_Looks like I've got a new job to apply for…_

---

It was the last day of the cruse. All the passengers and crew were on deck, eagerly awaiting the first sight of land. Everyone but a couple, that is…

"Give me back my PET!!!" April shouted, chasing Chaud around the lower decks of the ship. He just laughed, and poured on some more speed.

April didn't bother. She knew where Chaud was headed, and it was a dead end. He disappeared around a corner, and she ran to catch up, only to turn the corner and find an empty hallway.

April stared in puzzlement, and then heard a slight creek behind her. She whipped around, and saw Chaud, sneaking away on tiptoe. He froze at the creak, looked at her, and then started running again. He didn't get very far.

April tackled him from behind, wrestling to try and get her PET from his outstretched arm. "No…fair…" she panted, reaching for Nocturne, and coming up a few inches short. "You're…taller…than me…"

Standing up, April grabbed Chaud's shoulder and used it to make her jump higher. Chaud tilted it _just_ out of reach. She jumped again and again, and Chaud just laughed. "Okay, okay." He finally said, wrapping his arm around April's waist and pulling her close. "Stop jumping on me, and you can have it back." April wrapped her arms around Chaud's neck, and they kissed again. Chaud slowly lowered his arm, absorbed in the kiss. When it was low enough, April grabbed her PET then broke away from Chaud. "Thanks!" She said, charging down the hallway, and sticking her tongue out at him. Chaud just laughed, watching her run. When she got to the end, she stopped and held out something to him. It was red, and it looked very familiar. "You want this?" she called.

Chaud quickly felt around for his PET. His pockets were empty. April's laugh echoed down the hallway as the chase began again.

---

April and Alice stood next to each other on the deck, waving out to Chaud and the other passengers on the dock. When they got too small to see, Alice turned to April.

"So…when are you gonna be leaving?"

April turned to her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said." Alice replied back. "I heard you muttering to Nocturne late at night, asking him to find out if Dr. Hikari would take more than one student." April blushed, and Alice plowed on. "I also heard you muttering in your sleep… 'Please take me on…Please…I'll work hard… I just want to be with him…'" Alice smirked and stopped, enjoying watching April's face get redder and redder.

"Gah…" was all that April could managed out. Alice grinned and grabbed her arm, leading her towards their cabin. "There's still a couple of months before we get to go back to Port Yawnsworth. You can tell me all about your plans while we're cleaning the suites."

The next day, they started with Suite 159. Chaud's suite.

While they were dusting, April told Alice about how she was going to get an apartment in Dentech, close to the train station, and close to her favorite restaurant, Noodles N' Burgers. She also told Alice about a program she was going to create in order to get Scilab to accept her.

"All I have to do is hope that Dr. Hikari is taking students, if I get accepted…Alice, are you listening?"

Alice had frozen, standing next to a desk with an open drawer. She held and envelope in her hand and had a big smile on her face.

"What's that?"

Alice handed over the envelope to April. "It's for you."

Shocked, April took the envelope. On the front, in a slanted curved writing were the words _April Cossack_. She opened it and found three pieces of paper. Two were folded into thirds; the other was a short note, this time in more messy handwriting that April recognized right away. The note was short:

_Here you go. Good luck._

_I love you._

_C.B._

April unfolded the other sheets and gasped. A tear ran down her cheek from her one good eye.

Alice sprang to her side, dropping her duster. "What is it?" April silently handed the papers to her, wiping away the tear and looking at the note again.

Alice's smile was huge as she looked first at the application, then at a deed for an apartment in Dentech City. She went over and hugged April, who returned the gesture. "When you get famous because of something you two did, call me right away. Call me when your grandfather wakes up, and don't forget to invite me to the wedding." She held April out at arm's length.

"You bagged a good one girl."

* * *

Ahh….. 11 pages…. 

Cool….

IT'S MIDNIGHT AGAIN!!!!!! THIS IS BAD!!!!! I START SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, AND MY SLEEPING SCHEDULE IS ALL SCREWED UP!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I got the story done, and that's what matters.

Don't you love the fact that April is a blackjack dealer at age 16? I laughed when I typed that.

Oh. And I have no idea about how a cruse ship is run. I've never been on one myself, so I just went with what I've read in books and seen in movies. Same goes for swimming in the ocean during a storm and for recovery time afterwards. And for Chaud's father's behavior. I know absolutely nothing about his parents.

Alice might come back….eventually….

Chaud was OOC, yes, but that's what makes the story good, right?

And the song that Alice sang is called 'Stand By Me' – sung by Sam Cook (or Cooke. I've seen his name spelled both ways…. --') you've all probably heard it at some point or other…yeah…

And for my cousin, MarHeavenAngel, who gave me this idea (I really needed to get that fluff out of my system), I present to you... (drumroll please...) TADA!!!! (poof of smoke and Bass appears.) BASS!!!!!!!! SQUEE!!!!!!!!!!!

MHA: SQUEE!!!!!!!!!

Bass: NOT ANOTHER FANGIRL!!!!!!!!!!! (glomp)

... yes...

Chocolate-covered strawberries sound good right now…mmm….

…..yeah…..

love me and review please.


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